Longitudinal Investigation into Declarative and Procedural Memory Brain Systems Supporting the Development of Math Skills

项目总结/摘要 虽然数学技能对学业成就、成年后的工作机会和 医疗保健相关的决定，基本的认知和神经机制，支持学习的基本 数学技能仍然知之甚少。了解导致更好地 数学学习对于那些努力改善数学学习者的有针对性的补救技术的人来说是必不可少的。 学习困难。尽管长期学习和记忆系统已经被仔细研究过 已经有超过世纪的历史，并且众所周知在诸如语言和阅读的相关领域中发挥着重要作用， 他们在塑造学习和数学技能获得的发展轨迹中的作用在很大程度上仍然是 未知对这些机制的了解可以为我们理解 数学学习和发展，这反过来又可以揭示提高早期数学的关键杠杆点 教育和干预措施，以缩小那些持续存在数学缺陷的人的数学成绩差距。那里 因此，迫切需要明确的，系统的研究长期 记忆系统支持基础数学技能的获得和发展。继续忽视 这些记忆系统在数学中的作用将阻碍数学理论的发展和实践的努力 提高数学困难儿童干预措施的长期有效性。 我们将实施一个重复测量的纵向设计，检查两个关键的记忆系统，陈述性 (DM)和程序记忆（PM），以及它们对一系列数学技能发展轨迹的贡献 在一年级到五年级的孩子中。为了测试关于每个记忆系统之间联系的特定假设 和不同的数学技能，我们将收集标准化的数学成绩，算术技能和基本的措施， 数量处理。DM和PM系统已经在神经水平上得到了很好的表征，因此， 了解数学和记忆系统的联系机制，我们还将收集功能性神经成像 在这两个时间点的措施，以表征学习相关的变化，在大脑和行为。重复 在每个时间点的每个测量将使得有可能解释初始可变性和先前存在的关系 变量之间的关系，从而使我们能够预测特定数学结果的变化。通过揭示 具体的记忆系统和数学相关的变化，在大脑和行为，这个项目将提供最 长期记忆机制是如何帮助数学学习的。这反过来将 有助于消除在确定旨在改善教育的干预措施目标时的许多猜测， 有数学学习困难和没有数学学习困难的儿童的结果。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Although mathematics skills are crucial for academic achievement, future job opportunities in adulthood, and healthcare-related decisions, the fundamental cognitive and neural mechanisms that underpin learning of basic math skills remain poorly understood. Understanding the mechanisms and specific factors that lead to better math learning is essential for those endeavoring to improve targeted remediation techniques for those with math learning difficulties. Despite the fact that long-term learning and memory systems have been carefully studied for over a century, and are well-known to play a major role in related domains such as language and reading, their role of in shaping learning and the developmental trajectory of math skill acquisition remains largely unknown. Knowledge of these mechanisms can provide a major theoretical advance in our understanding of math learning and development, which in turn can reveal critical leverage points for improving early math education and interventions to narrow the math-achievement gap for those with persistent math deficits. There is therefore a critical need for a definitive, systematic study of the specific mechanisms by which long-term memory systems support the acquisition and development of foundational math skills. Continuing to overlook the role of these memory systems in mathematics will impede theories of math development and practical efforts to improve long-term efficacy of interventions for children with math difficulties. We will implement a repeated-measures longitudinal design examining two key memory systems, declarative (DM) and procedural memory (PM), and their contributions to developmental trajectories of a range of math skills in children in 1st through 5th grades. To test specific hypotheses about the link between each memory system and different math skills, we will collect measures of standardized math achievement, arithmetic skills, and basic quantity processing. DM and PM systems have been well characterized at the neural level, so to deepen understanding of the mechanisms linking math and memory systems, we will also collect functional neuroimaging measures at both time-points to characterize learning-related changes in both brain and behavior. Repeating each measure at each time-point will make it possible to account for initial variability in and prior existing relations between variables, thus allowing us to predict changes in a particular math outcome. By revealing links between specific memory systems and math-related changes in brain and behavior, this project will provide the most comprehensive picture to date of how long-term memory mechanisms subserve math learning. This in turn will help take much of the guesswork out of determining the target of interventions aimed at improving educational outcomes for children with and without math learning difficulties.